head and took up the shield
that Telemachus had brought, and the two great spears.

But now Melanthius, the goatherd--he who was the enemy of Odysseus, got
into the chamber where the arms were kept, and brought out spears and
shields and helmets, and gave them to the wooers. Seeing the goatherd go
back for more arms, Telemachus and Eumaeus dashed into the chamber, and
caught him and bound him with a rope, and dragged him up near the
roof-beams, and left him hanging there. Then they closed and bolted the
door, and stood on guard.

Many of the wooers lay dead upon the floor of the hall. Now one who was
called Agelaus stood forward, and directed the wooers to cast spears at
Odysseus. But not one of the spears they cast struck him, for Odysseus
was able to avoid them all.

And now he directed Telemachus and Eumaeus and Philoetius to cast their
spears. When they cast them with Odysseus, each one struck a man, and
four of the wooers fell down. And again Odysseus directed his following
to cast their spears, and again they cast them, and slew their men. They
drove those who remained from one end of the hall to the other, and slew
them all.

Straightway the doors of the women's apartment were flung open, and
Eurycleia appeared. She saw Odysseus amongst the bodies of the dead, all
stained with blood. She would have cried out in triumph if Odysseus had
not restrained her. 'Rejoice within thine own heart,' he said, 'but do
not cry aloud, for it is an unholy thing to triumph over men lying dead.
These men the gods themselves have overcome, because of their own hard
and unjust hearts.'

As he spoke the women came out of their chambers, carrying torches in
their hands. They fell upon Odysseus and embraced him and clasped and
kissed his hands. A longing came over him to weep, for he remembered
them from of old--every one of the servants who were there.

[Illustration.]

XVI

Eurycleia, the old nurse, went to the upper chamber where Penelope lay
in her bed. She bent over her and called out, 'Awake, Penelope, dear
child. Come down and see with thine own eyes what hath happened. The
wooers are overthrown. And he whom thou hast ever longed to see hath
come back. Odysseus, thy husband, hath returned. He hath slain the proud
wooers who have troubled thee for so long.'

But Penelope only looked at the nurse, for she thought that her brain
had been turned.

Still Eurycleia kept on saying, 'In very deed Odysseus is here. He